Pipe cleaning tool



June 4, 1957 H. R. CRANE 2,794,197

PIPE CLEANING TOOL Filed March 15, 1955 IN VEN TOR. #055272. 624

United States Paten U PIPE CLEANING TOOL assignor to Flexible Crane, Los Angeles, Calif.,

Califl, a cor- Los Angeles,

Hubert R.

Manufacturing Corporation, poration of California The present invention relates to pipe cleaning tools.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a novel pipe cleaning tool which is moved through the bore of a sewer pipe or the like so as to clean the interior thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cleaning tool that is very effective in its cleaning operation and yet is extremely simple of design and construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe cleaning tool which is of a generally spheroidal configuration having deformable walls permitting it to partially collapse or distort should it encounter an obstacle within the pipe.

It is another object to provide a pipe cleaning tool which may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost.

An additional object is to provide a pipe cleaning tool which is foolproof in operation.

A further object is to provide a pipe cleaning tool especially adapted to be forced through a pipe to be cleaned under the influence of hydraulic pressure.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a pipe cleaning tool of a generally spheroidal configuration having deformable walls that are apertured whereby the interior thereof is filled with liquid during a cleaning operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view of a preferred form of pipe cleaning tool embodying the present invention disposed in a pipe to be cleaned;

Figure 2 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view of said pipe cleaning tool; and

Figure 3 is a reduced side elevational view illustrating different attitudes which may be assumed by said pipe cleaning tool during a pipe cleaning operation.

Referring to the drawings, the preferred form of pipe cleaning tool embodying the present invention comprises a hollow, generally spheroidally-shaped body B defined by walls formed of a natural or synthetic rubber, or a plastic material, having the ability to return to its original configuration after being deformed. The outside diameter of the body B substantially corresponds to that of the pipe to be cleaned P. It is important to notice that the walls 10 are formed with at least two apertures designated 12. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, four of such apertures 12 are utilized.

A metal connector rod 16 is rotatably affixed to the rear wall 101' of the body B. The rear end of this connector rod 16 is formed with an eye 18 for receiving a control line 20 of rope or cable. As shown in Figure 2, the front end of the connector rod 16 is disposed within a cavity 21 formed in an externally threaded bushing 22, the latter being disposed in a coaxial bore 23 formed in the rear wall 10r. A nut 24 is threadably secured upon Patented June 4, 1957' the rear portion of the bushing 22. A first washer 26 is shown interposed between the head 30 of the bushing 22 and the front surface of the rear wall 10r, and a second washer 28 is shown interposed between the front of the nut 24 and the rear surface of the wall 101'. The front end of the connector rod 16 is bent over within the cavity 21, as indicated at 32. It is secured against forward movement out of the cavity by a bolt 34 which is threadably disposed within the front portion thereof.

Conveniently, a second eye 36 may be affixed to the front end of the body B. This eye 36 is held in place by a stud member 38. The latter is disposed in a coaxial bore 40 formed in the front wall 10] of the body. stud member 38 in turn is held in place by a nut 42. Preferably, the stud member 38 will extend through an outer reinforcing plate 44 of circular configuration having its radially outer ends dished rearwardly, as indicated at 46. The stud member also extends through a flat washer element 48 which is disposed with its front end abutting the rear surface of the front wall 10 Preferably, the external surface of the sides of the walls 10 will be formed with a plurality of axially-extending reinforcement ribs 50.

In operation, the above-described pipe cleaning tool is inserted into a length of pipe P through a manhole or the like and a head of water or other liquid will be built up in the pipe behind the tool. It should be particularly observed that such liquid may enter the interior of the body B through the apertures 12, the air initially contained within the body being displaced through these same apertures. In this manner the pressure within and without the body B will be equalized. As the workman lets out the control line 20, the body B will move downstream through the interior of the pipe to be cleaned P, the pressure of the liquid within the body B causing the radially outer portion of the walls 10 to scrape along the walls of the pipe P Such scraping causes the walls 10 to shear 01f encrustations or projections, such as those resulting from grease, roots, rough joints and other deposits from the inside of the pipe. It should be particularly noted that the scraping force obtainable with the pipe cleaning tool of the present invention is appreciably greater than that afforded by the similar heretofore-proposed tools employing an air-filled body. In addition to this shearing action, a certain amount of liquid will flow forwardly around the outer surface of the walls 10 with a comparatively high velocity. This flow will scour sediment and organic deposits from the surface of the pipe. Additionally, this high velocity liquid flow will create a considerable amount of turbulence in the liquid downstream from the tool. Such turbulence will assist in transporting downstream foreign matter disposed in the pipe ahead of the tool.

It should be noted that the elastic walls 10 of the tool .permit it to deform should the body encounter a restriction in the pipe P. When the walls are so deformed an orifice will be formed through which the liquid under pressure will jet. This jet will tend to wash the material away ahead of the body thereby tending to dissipate the restriction. The front eye 36 may be utilized for retrieving the pipe cleaning tool through a dropmanhole or the like.

Referring now to Figure 3, it .should be particularly noted that the length of the connector rod 16 should be sufficient that the body B cannot be tilted to such an ex tent that one or more of the apertures 12 could be closed by abutment with the pipe wall. Such closing of the apertures could interfere with the proper operation of the device. The rotatable attachment of the connector rod 16 eliminates kinking or fouling of the control line 20.

While there has been shown and described hereinbe- Thefore what is presently considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim;

1. A tool for cleaning the inside of a ing: a hollow, generally spheroidally-shaped body having deformable walls of a diameter substantially corresponding to that of said pipe, with at least two apertures formed in the rear wall of said body; a coaxial connector rod rotatably secured to the rear wall of said body; and an eye formed on the front wall of said body.

2. A tool for cleaning the inside of a pipe Which includes: a hollow, generally spheroidally-shaped body having deformable Walls of a diameter substantially corresponding to that of said pipe, said body having at least two apertures in the rear wall thereof, said apertures being on opposite sides of said body; and a connector pipe, comprisrod attached to the rear of said body and held substan- 0 tially coaxial therewith, said rod extending rearwardly of said body and acting to prevent tipping thereof by an amount sufficient to cause one of said apertures to be closed by engagement with the wall of said pipe.

3. A tool for cleaning the inside of a pipe which includes: a hollow, generally spheroidally shaped body having deformable walls of a diameter substantially corresponding to that of said pipe, said body having a longitudinally extending axis with at least two apertures formed in the rear wall of said body on opposite sides of said axis; and a connector rod attached to the rear wall of said body and held substantially coaxial with said axis at all times, said rod being rotatable with respect to said body about their common axis, said rod extending rearwardly of said body and acting to engage the interior of said pipe as said body is tipped, thereby limiting the tipping of said body Within said pipe and preventing the closure of one of said apertures by its engagement with the wall of said pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,134 Cope Mar. 11, 1890 876,566 .Lehnert Jan. 14, 1908 2,668,307 Preen Feb. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 121,170 France Nov. 15, 1877 

